headphone practice solution

[scottfeldstein]

I really agonized over where to post this. It doesn't seem to fit nicely anywhere. But I think readers in this forum are going to be the most knowledgeable about the subject, so here goes...

I want to practice at home using headphones and an iOS device for music playback. Like, supposing your cover band gives you three songs to learn and you have to learn them in an apartment with thin walls. What do you do?

Here's what I'm proposing. Y'all can tell me if it's overkill or dumb in any way.

Basically, I get a good set of headphones and then put two inputs into them: one, my bass; two, the music from my mp3 player. The end.

Except, you can't do that with just a Y-cable. It works the other way (one source into two headphones) but not the other way (multiple sources into one headphone).

So. What I thought I'd do is get a cheap mixer like this one:

Amazon.com: Behringer MX400 4-Channel Mixer: Musical Instruments

Then I could use the headphone out from my amp into chan 1, and the mp3 player in chan 2. Adjust levels... done.

Of course I'll need some cables/adapters. One to get the mp3 player to plug into the mixer at 1/4". One to get the mixer's mono out to be (pseudo) stereo so I can hear it in both ears.

Should work, right? Is this silly? Overkill? How does everyone else solve this problem? Earbud from iPod in one ear and headphone can from the amp out on the other?

 

[Frayed Knot]

It works great for me. In my case I use an old Radio Shack mixer into my stereo. This gives me the option of using my headphones, (keeping the family happy) or going through speakers if and when I want.

 

[ack]

I know of two cheap solutions:
1. Vox AmPlug (around $40) - not the greatest sound, but it lets you go mobile.
- 1/8" input for iPod, etc.
- 1/8" output for headphones (I use a 1/8" to 1/4" converter for over the ear
headphones)

2. One of my practice amps has RCA input (left/right) for CD player. I use a "Y" cable (RCA L/R -> 1/8") to my iPod - Amp also has a headphone jack. That's a cheap solution, if your amp has that Aux Input.

Good luck

 

[scottfeldstein]

I used to have an amp with a 1/8" aux input and also a headphone out. With that sucker, things would have been easy!

 

[HighPockets]

My normal practice setup is this:

Amazon.com: Behringer XENYX502 5-Channel Mixer: Musical Instruments

1/8" to 2xRCA to hook up MP3 player (also cheap), plug in headphones, adjust levels, and there you go.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I'm presuming you also run your bass (or the output of your amp) into the mixer, too, right?

 

[clutebass]

I actually do the last thing you mentioned. I run earbuds out of my computer or ipod and put the larger earphones over top of the earbuds feeding out of my amp. Not perfect but does the trick.

 

[scottfeldstein]

Heh. Dude, that is ghetto.

But the thought has occurred to me too!

 

[wrench45us]

Amazon.com: Tascam GB-10 Guitar Trainer/Recorder: Musical Instruments

these Tascam Guitar Trainers (now with MP3 input) are designed for this sort of thing
(as you probably knew)
that's essentially what I use -- the older CD model

the mixer solution may offer better fidelity -- the player has its own coloring of 'my tone' -- which probably had to do with all the 'effects' included

 

[scottfeldstein]

No, I didn't know! Interesting!

Although, it has features I don't want and a much higher price tag than the cheap mixers I'm looking at. I don't want effects or amp modeling or recording or anything else. I just want a way to put mp3 together with amp out into one headphone mix.

This one might be better than the behringer one I linked to above. This one has a stereo out, no need for an adapter on that end.

Amazon.com: Nady 4/8 Channel Mini Mixer: Musical Instruments

 

[kckennedy]

The best solution I found for this is a Fodera Private Practice Amp. Portable, sounds great, plug any music source in through a standard stereo mini to RCA cord and can be used with battery or external power.

I don't think they make them any more but you should be able to find one used fairly cheap. (I think they were something like $250 - $300 new)

Here's mine.....




(PS. I found one that sold on this site last month for $175)

 

[Spinal Tapper]

I've been doing this for a Rolling Stones gig I have coming up...and I live in a multi-tenant apt w/ thin walls.

I use the headphone OUT from my bass amp, and I just run the music off my ipod through computer speakers. The bleed from the volume of the MP3's through my headphones is plenty to figure out where in the song I am, and it keeps the bass from bumping out of my amp...

After all, the bass levels are probably your biggest worry. If you can't listen to regular MP3's at a reasonable volume out of computer speakers, you need to find a new apt

 

[john_g]

I actually do the last thing you mentioned. I run earbuds out of my computer or ipod and put the larger earphones over top of the earbuds feeding out of my amp. Not perfect but does the trick.

LOL! I used to do that all the time when I was younger!

 

[HighPockets]

I'm presuming you also run your bass (or the output of your amp) into the mixer, too, right?

I plug my bass directly in to channel 1, the mp3 player into the Left/Right RCA inputs via the 1/8"x2xRCA adapter cord, and plug headphones into the "phones" 1/4" jack.

 

[scottfeldstein]

After all, the bass levels are probably your biggest worry. If you can't listen to regular MP3's at a reasonable volume out of computer speakers, you need to find a new apt

Good point, but it doesn't help the people watching TV 10 feet away.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I plug my bass directly in to channel 1, the mp3 player into the Left/Right RCA inputs via the 1/8"x2xRCA adapter cord, and plug headphones into the "phones" 1/4" jack.

So you get actual stereo music in the headphones? That's a trick none of the other cheap mixers seem to be able to pull off. Of course you do need the 1/8" > stereo RCA adapter, but still...

The other two sub-$50 mixers can't do this. One has only a mono output and requires an adapter in order to get anything into both headphones. The other still has mono inputs, so even though you get 'stereo' output, it's destroyed the stereo mix of the music.

 

[bassclique]

Dude: Invalid Link Removed

Only problem is, i find input volume only goes up so much, so you can never get a really loud bass sound, or if you do, you need to turn the mp3 volume down.

Pro: can dump mp3s straight on to it, it runs off power or battery. has built in effects and drum patterns.

 

[HighPockets]

So you get actual stereo music in the headphones? That's a trick none of the other cheap mixers seem to be able to pull off. Of course you do need the 1/8" > stereo RCA adapter, but still...

The other two sub-$50 mixers can't do this. One has only a mono output and requires an adapter in order to get anything into both headphones. The other still has mono inputs, so even though you get 'stereo' output, it's destroyed the stereo mix of the music.

It's a mono output, so it's the same mix (mono) in both ears. Why the need for a stereo output?

 

[fivestringgecko]

I have one no one's mentioned yet. You said you'd be using an iOS device... without a huge $ investment, you could try [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. I've got it on my iPad2 and it works pretty good. Might be a practice solution that would work for you. There are some effects built in and you can rock along with songs you've got on your device.

Just a suggestion.

ross.

 

[scottfeldstein]

This is all way more complicated than it needs to be. All I want is

a) my bass in my headphones

b) my mp3 player in my headphones

The end.

Well, naturally I want to be able to adjust the volumes independently. And it would be nice if my bass signal came to the mixer out of my amp, or at least out of my pedal board, and not dry out of the instrument. And it would be nice if the mp3s were in stereo.

I do not want it to facilitate recording. I do not need it to have a USB interface. I do not need it to have phantom power. I do not need for it to have separate phones/main outputs. I do not want built-in effects or amp emulation. I do not want 8+ channels.

I just want to listen to myself while I listen to an MP3.

And I want this for $50 or less.